NFL Notebook: 'Pacman' ad sends open letter to fans

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published 10:00 pm, Friday, April 20, 2007

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Suspended Tennessee Titans cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones bought a full-page newspaper advertisement to print an open letter in which he promised to regain the trust of his team and fans.

In the ad in the sports section of Friday's editions of The Tennessean -- Nashville's daily newspaper -- Jones told his family, coaches, teammates and Titans fans he must reorganize his priorities.

"In the past few weeks, I have learned a lifetime of lessons," the letter states.

Jones writes of hoping to not only meet, but exceed the expectations people have of him.

"The first step in meeting these goals is for me to stop making the poor choices that have put me in this position," the letter reads.

Jones said he plans to appeal his season-long suspension by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who will hear that appeal. Cincinnati receiver Chris Henry, Jones' teammate at West Virginia, also was suspended. Henry received an eight-game ban.

In his letter, Jones said his attorneys advised him to appeal the suspension to "clarify some of the facts and address the unprecedented punishment that was imposed." Jones announced his intention of appealing last week.

His attorneys had declined to comment since Jones' announcement that he would appeal except to promise a statement was coming. The appeal must be filed by April 30.

The sixth pick overall in the 2005 draft and the first defensive player taken that year, Jones has talked with police 10 times since being drafted, and been arrested five times. He has not been convicted of any charge since being drafted.

Goodell left open the chance for Jones' return after the Titans' 10th game if he meets a list of stringent requirements. That included staying out of "adverse" involvement with police and putting together a plan of community service the NFL must approve.